The present invention relates to signal lamps in general, and more particularly to improvements in signal lamps which employ light sources in the form of light emitting diodes. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in signal lamps of the type wherein the light emitting diode is confined in a housing whose front end portion transmits light.
It is already known to install a light emitting diode on a plate-like carrier which is mounted in the housing of the signal lamp and which further supports one or more series resistors. The plate-like carrier normally extends at least substantially at right angles to the axis of the housing of the lamp. Reference may be had to commonly owned copending patent application Ser. No. 553,757 filed Nov. 21, 1983 for "Signal lamp with light emitting diode" and to commonly owned copending patent application Ser. No. 618,217 filed June 7, 1984 now abandoned for "Adapter for attachment of light emitting devices to control panels and the like". A drawback of the just discussed previously disclosed signal lamps is that their mounting on the front wall of a control panel or the like invariably necessitates the making of relatively large openings whose dimensions match or even exceed those of the housing for the diode. The housing is inserted into and held in the respective opening by detent means, preferably in such a way that only a very thin frame-like portion of the housing extends forwardly beyond the front side of the control panel.